


Key Man

by sagely_sea



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Gay Disaster Shiro (Voltron), Getting Together, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pining Shiro (Voltron), Post-Season/Series 07, s8 doesn't exist
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-01
Updated: 2020-03-01
Packaged: 2021-02-27 21:21:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22972423
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sagely_sea/pseuds/sagely_sea
Summary: Krolia saw multiple futures while in the Quantum Abyss with Keith. Some were filled with happiness while others felt lonely. But she learned the key man to her son's happiness is Shiro. So now she's determined to make sure the path Shiro chooses will give both him and her son a happy ending.
Relationships: Keith/Shiro (Voltron)
Comments: 19
Kudos: 141
Collections: Shiro Birthday Exchange 2020





	Key Man

**Author's Note:**

  * For [stardropdream](https://archiveofourown.org/users/stardropdream/gifts).



> This was written for Stardropdream for the 2020 Shiro Birthday Exchange. I hope you enjoy it! I took the most inspiration from your prompt about wanting to see Shiro and Krolia spend some time together. I tried to work in a mix of your fave tropes/preferences and hope I did them justice.

“Good morning, Shiro,” Krolia said as Shiro entered the cockpit of the Black lion.

When travelling in space with no discernable day cycle, morning was whenever someone woke up. Shiro saw a lot of mornings in a day. Ever since being pulled out of the Black Lion his body had required a lot of rest. He felt bad about it but Keith, Krolia and all of the others wouldn’t let him feel guilty over it. 

“Good morning, Krolia,” Shiro said politely. It was still odd to him that Keith had a mother though he was certainly happy for him. If anyone deserved a family and someone who would support him unconditionally, it was Keith. 

He walked further into Black’s cockpit and stood beside the chair Krolia was sitting on and stared out into the vast empty space before them. It was going to take a long time to get to Earth and it would require teamwork, trust, and a lot of long days in cramped spaces. It also required at least one of them to always be awake. 

The lions could be set to autopilot but with their energy levels depleted nobody wanted to risk trusting them to run completely on their own. So there was always someone, in at least one of the lions, who would monitor things and be able to yell out warnings if needed. Krolia may not be able to control the Black Lion but she could read the screens and keep an eye out for anything that required Keith or the other Paladins. 

“Are you well?” Krolia asked. 

“I’m feeling better each day.” He could stay awake longer each day and all of the overlapping memories from the clone were settling down. He still wasn’t sure how he felt about the cloning situation or that his soul was transferred into the body of a clone that had tried to kill Keith and the others but it was something he was coming to terms with slowly. 

“Your arm?”

“No pain. I admit I still try to do things with it and then find myself stumbling when there’s nothing there, but I’ll get used to it. I’ve always been more than adept at using my left arm for things.” After a rather bad episode with his disease it had taken months to rehabilitate his right arm for proper use again. That was when he started using the stim bracelet to stop something like that from happening again. But he’d always kept up using his left arm as much as his right just in case something happened.

“You should let Keith help you more. He still feels bad about removing it like he did,” Krolia said. 

“All he did was remove an infected piece of machinery. If he hadn’t done that, we wouldn’t have survived,” Shiro said. Keith wasn’t the person who removed his arm and while he missed having two functioning arms and hands, he was glad to be rid of the Galra tech. 

“Have you told him that?” Krolia was always straight forward and it was a trait Shiro typically appreciated but it felt more disconcerting coming from Keith’s mother and a trained spy. 

“It’s been difficult to talk with him,” Shiro said. They both seemed to be avoiding talking about anything too serious so far however Shiro knew some things would have to be addressed sooner rather than later. 

“I’m not sure it’s going to get any easier for some time yet. We’re still in a war and it has a way of keeping people apart or taking away time people thought they had.” 

There was a wistfulness to Krolia’s voice and Shiro didn’t have to ask to know at least where part of it was coming from. Keith’s father had died when he was young and he was sure that Keith would have mentioned it to Krolia at some point in their time together. 

“Now that things are settling into a routine, I’m sure we’ll find some time,” Shiro said.

“If the lions had more energy, we could make a detour to a Blade base to see if they could fit you with a new arm. It might not function as well as the ones the druids made but it would be safe,” Krolia said. 

Shiro also suspected seeing him with an arm again would help Keith feel less guilty which is what Krolia cared about the most. “It’d be useful to have two arms so I had an extra hand to lend the paladins. But I’m not helpless.” 

Krolia looked at him, clearly picking up on Shiro’s joke, and gave him a small smile. “Keith did say you had an interesting sense of humour. And you may not be helpless but you are still recovering. Try not to push yourself because you think you need to compensate for your injury. You aren’t the first soldier to be injured and there’s no shame in it. You survived. That’s enough for now.” 

Krolia’s tone left no room for arguing so Shiro didn’t try to. He might not feel like he was pulling his weight with how often he slept and how limited he was while he adjusted to daily life with one arm but he wasn’t useless and didn’t want to be seen as that. He had survived a horrible illness and the gladiator arenas, he could survive being down an arm for the time being. 

The one good thing about their long trip back to Earth is that it would give him plenty of time to recover and focus on rehabilitation. He also might be able to clear enough space in the storage area to set up some targets. He might not be able to do hand-to-hand as well right now but he could work on his shooting and still provide back up that way if needed.

Krolia watched him for a time and when she seemed satisfied he wouldn’t argue against her edict to recover and not push she looked back over at the scanners. With all of the lions full of supplies from the castle, even in the Black Lion there was very little breathing room. Shiro settled against one of the consoles and watched distant stars and enjoyed a rare moment of quiet. He loved the other paladins but they could get a bit loud at times. While Krolia might be a little intimidating at least it was comfortable enough to just sit together. 

“Shiro,” Krolia said just as Shiro’s mind was drifting. He turned his attention to Krolia who was considering him in a way that made him think this conversation wasn’t going to be about breakfast plans. “Did Keith tell you anything more about our mission?” 

“Not much. I know you were forced to live off of the land the best you could on the back of a giant space whale for two years. I’m not sure I understood how that worked but Keith had always been good at survival camping.” Shiro wanted to hear much more about the time Keith spent travelling with his mother and wolf on the back of a giant whale but everytime they started to talk Shiro would fall asleep or some minor crises would pop up. 

“While it’s not the way I would have chosen to learn more about my son, a part of me is thankful that we were forced to spend that time together. I’m not sure he would have trusted me like he does now if we hadn’t,” Krolia said. 

Shiro had to agree. The bond between Keith and Krolia went deep and there was an implicit trust there that Shiro knew Keith didn’t give away easily. It had taken him a long time to prove to Keith that he wouldn’t give up on him. 

“I’m sure he feels the same way about getting to know you,” Shiro said. 

“The Quantum Abyss helped. It forced us to learn about each other and probably share more than we ever would have or wanted to,” Krolia said. 

“What do you mean?” Shiro wondered if the air or plants there had an effect on them like drugs or alcohol might have. Did they overshare when high off of plants? 

“I couldn’t tell you the whys or the hows, but the Quantum Abyss affects time in more than just how long it takes to travel through it. We would be hit with flashes of light and as we went through it together we would relive the past of one of us,” Krolia said. 

Shiro’s mind took a moment to process just what Krolia was telling him and what all the implications could be. Keith could have seen Krolia meet his father. Did he get to see his mother hold him as a child? Did Krolia have to watch Keith at his father’s funeral or struggling to fit in at school? Shiro felt flustered as he realized that one of the ways Krolia knew him so well at first meeting was because she undoubtedly saw him through Keith’s memories. She definitely saw him jump off the cliff. But she hopefully saw Shiro take Keith under his wing and give him the chances that nobody else seemed willing to do, too. Is that why Krolia approved of him? 

And then Shiro realized what else they may have shared in these flashbacks if they couldn’t control it and felt a blush rising to his cheeks. Did Keith have to witness his conception? Did Krolia see Keith in compromising ways, too? If he had shared that with his family he wasn’t sure he would have survived two years of that let alone being able to look them in the eyes after. But maybe it helped that Keith and Krolia wouldn’t have shared the usual mother and son bond at the point or that Keith had always had his own way of doing things. 

“You must have seen a lot about each other if those flashes happened often,” Shiro said. He was proud that he managed to keep his voice as even as it was.

“Sometimes we could go days with nothing. Other times we would get several in one hour. It didn’t seem to affect us when we were sleeping. Though if we were near each other we could still be pulled into the other’s past… or future,” Krolia said. 

“F-future?” It was hard enough to believe they had shared moments of their pasts with the other but to see their futures? That was amazing and terrifying. “So you know what happens in the war? That Keith survives?” If they had futures, that meant Keith had to make it out of this, right? 

Krolia smiled at him and reached out to pat his arm. “He makes it out. All of the futures showed that much.” 

“All of them?” Shiro supposed that made sense. If he was willing to believe space whales that were large enough to support life, alternate universes, and time vortexes why wouldn’t he believe in a magic light that showed branching futures?

“There were flashes we saw that always seemed to be the same despite details that might change but other possible futures seemed to vary quite a lot. Your clone and Keith fighting was inevitable. We didn’t understand it but we both saw it multiple times and each time Keith swore that there was more to it than what we were shown. It looks like he was right though I admit I had my doubts. I’m glad I was proven wrong.” 

“He has a lot of faith in me…” Shiro said. He was a little amazed that Keith could have seen him be attacked multiple times and still believe in him and still want to share the confined space of the Lion with him. Keith’s loyalty and love for his friends was stronger than anyone really gave him credit for. 

“From what I saw and heard, he has reason to,” Krolia said. “You helped him when I couldn’t and that’s why I’m doing this. Not only for Keith but for you.” 

“You don’t owe me anything, Krolia. I just saw the potential he already had and helped him to reach it.” The first step had been getting Keith to trust him and then to believe in himself that he could do all of the things that Shiro knew he could. Looking at the young man and leader Keith had grown into made Shiro want to go back to all of Keith’s old teachers, instructors, and classmates and show them what they had missed. 

“It’s not completely altruistic. Like I said, it helps my son, too.” 

“What did you see?” Shiro asked. If it was to help Keith, and apparently himself, why shouldn’t he accept? If it could help them win the war or keep Keith from getting hurt, he was willing to listen and do what Krolia suggested. 

“I know you were his mentor, then his friend, and now maybe something more.” 

Krolia’s words made Shiro squirm slightly. He hadn’t talked to Keith about his growing feelings for him though his reaction when he had seen Keith hop out of that Altean ship hadn’t been as smooth as he would have liked. He was hoping to find time to talk on the journey to Earth. Or maybe on Earth since there was no scenario that conversation ended well while being confined to the Lions. If Keith said he wanted to stay friends then the trip to Earth got a lot more awkward even if he switched Lions. If Keith agreed to wanting more than friendship… well, sharing a Lion with Keith and Keith’s mother was going to be awkward for a whole new reason. 

“I didn’t expect you to be shy over this. Keith said you had a mate you lived with when you were on Earth.” 

“Uhh… boyfriend… and then we broke up… and that was a long time ago now,” Shiro said, stumbling slightly. And he hadn’t had to talk about his intentions to date Adam with his parents before he’d even talked to Adam about it. And Adam’s parents certainly hadn’t had future visions of them. 

“Ah. So you’re out of practice and hesitant. I wouldn’t worry so much. From what I can tell of my son, he doesn’t know enough to know if you’re doing things well.” Shiro’s brain slid in the gutter at that comment and he knew he was turning red all the way up to the tip of his ears. “I believe any gesture from you would be appreciated and taken positively. He just wants to know you feel the same,” Krolia finished. 

Now Shiro was blushing because he’d immediately thought of sexual skills and Krolia was just talking about giving Keith chocolates as a dating gift instead of a friend gift. Of course Krolia wouldn’t want to talk about Keith’s sex life with him. 

“Alright… But I’m not sure Keith would like you telling me this.” He could hear Keith’s voice desperately shouting his love in his nightmares and flashbacks but it meant something entirely different when Keith’s mother was telling him that Keith was just waiting for Shiro to make any sort of move. 

Krolia just shrugged. “If I didn’t help, there’s no way we wouldn’t head toward one of the less desirable endings. I’ve watched you two for weeks now and you’re both enough to make a Xakutor monk lose patience.” 

“Oh,” Shiro said. He didn’t know what kind of monk that was but he was sure they weren’t that bad. He hoped the other paladins didn’t think the two of them were acting oddly or anything. 

“I’ve witnessed numerous futures where you two are together. You’re happy and in love even if in some it took you two so long that everyone on the Atlas already thought you were together,” Krolia said. She chuckled lightly, as if recalling one of her favourite, and likely more embarrassing visions of the future. 

“The Atlas?” It sounded like it was a ship of some kind. And Shiro wondered just what it was and who commanded it and how he and Keith ended up on there for so long that the crew of it knew them so well. 

“You’ll find out in time,” Krolia said. 

Shiro supposed it would be too much to expect Krolia to share everything with him. If Slav was here, he’d probably be able to spout off figures and consequences for sharing any detail, past or future, from the space whale. It was probably better to not push for too much in the small chance it might stop it from happening. “Okay. What about the ones where we don’t get together?” 

“Keith often finds meaning in helping the universe with friends. We didn’t often see you in those futures because yours was no longer so closely tied to Keith’s. But in some you seemed happy, others less so…” 

Shiro had a feeling that ‘less so’ was putting it mildly. And while he liked the idea of Keith helping the universe in a way that hopefully wasn’t just fighting with friends at his side, the way Krolia said it made it sound a little lonely. 

No. If it was possible, he wanted one of those futures where Keith and him got together. Preferably sooner rather than later. 

“What should I do to avoid those futures?” Shiro asked. He didn’t care if he seemed happy in some of those other futures. How happy could he be without Keith at his side?

“Trust your instincts, Shiro. They’ve gotten you this far with him. But if I think you’re veering from the future you both want, I’ll let you know,” Krolia said. 

Shiro didn’t think that was overly useful as his instincts hadn’t helped much the past few weeks but he would just have to believe in himself and in Keith. And well, if things didn’t work out, he had Krolia there to help guide him back onto the right course. 

“Alright. I’ll try not to let you down.” 

“Good.” 

It was a simple enough word, but Shiro still swore he heard all of the threats of injury and death that Krolia could deliver to him if he ever hurt Keith in that one word. A shiver went down his spine at the thought but since he would rather die, again, then see Keith hurt, he didn’t think he’d have to worry. 

-0-0-0-0-0-

Shiro greeted the nurses at the front desk as he made his way down the hall where the Paladins were still recovering. All of them were healing well and would be released soon putting an end to Shiro’s late night visits. But right now, it seemed like part of his routine. He’d work himself to exhaustion all day leading Atlas, helping to run the garrison, and being the Earth spokesman for the alliance all while trying to help Earth find its feet again after being invaded and enslaved and introducing yet more aliens to them and then he’d grab a late dinner and come by the hospital.

He was fortunate he had a hardworking staff behind him that he could delegate to. He often went to bed wondering just how so many responsibilities had fallen onto his shoulders and if he’d wake up and it would be all dream and he’d still be in a cramped craft on the way to Kerberos. 

The only good thing about the busy and chaotic schedule is that it kept him from thinking too much about his failures, his losses, and his friends slowly recovering in the hospital. It didn’t stop him from stopping by each night to personally check in on all of them before he headed to his rooms. 

Because of the late hour, the paladins were normally always sleeping. He’d caught Lance awake and watching some soap opera once before and chatted with him for a few minutes and another time he found Coran speaking quietly with Allura but it looked serious and he didn’t want to intrude so he’d left before he was seen. The nurses, thankfully, didn’t make him respect proper visiting hours and seemed to understand he just wanted to quietly check in on them. 

He walked along the hall, quietly peeking in each room to see how they were all doing, reassuring himself they were all still alive and getting better. When he reached Pidge’s room he wasn’t surprised to see a small light on and when he poked his head inside, Sam Holt looked up from the tablet he was reading and gave Shiro a wave. Shiro waved back and gave a nod before gently closing the door again. Sam’s schedule was nearly as ridiculous as his own and it wasn’t the first time he’d spotted Pidge’s father watching over her.

As usual, Keith’s room was last and he took a fortifying deep breath before opening his door. He stepped fully into Keith’s room and waited for his eyes to adjust to the dim light streaming in from the window and the barely curtained window leading to the lit hall. Kosmo raised his head to look at him but then laid it back down on the bed.

The first couple of nights, Kosmo had teleported over to him and greeted him so excitedly that he had fallen over and feared he’d wake Keith up. He had barely stirred though and that more than anything told him just how injured Keith still was. 

Now, his presence barely earned him more than a slow blink from the wolf who kept near constant vigil over Keith. He wasn’t quite sure who convinced the hospital staff to allow a space wolf permission to visit but he supposed when you were a wolf who could teleport and your favourite person’s mother was an assassin spy, there really wasn’t a way to say no. 

He walked quietly and slowly over to the bed, keeping a careful eye on Keith. When he was close enough he gave Kosmo’s head a pat as he watched Keith’s chest rise and fall in a soothing and rhythmic way. 

He wasn’t sure how long he stayed there but when he was satisfied that Keith was here and safe his own eyes were getting too heavy to keep open, Shiro gave Kosmo one last pat and headed out of the room. He breathed deeply once he was in the lit hall and closed his eyes to balance himself. 

When he felt a hand on his shoulder, his first reaction was to throw a punch but he was in a hospital at the Garrison and not the arena or in the middle of a battle. He forced his muscles to relax and turned slowly to see who was touching him. 

“Krolia,” Shiro said in greeting. 

“Shiro,” She said. She didn’t seem too concerned that he had been on high alert a moment ago. Though having seen Krolia’s skills, she probably wasn’t overly concerned that Shiro might throw a punch when startled. She had certainly woken him up from enough nightmares to know how to handle him. 

This was only the second time he had run into Krolia during his nighttime visits though it didn’t feel like she was here for Keith as much as she’d been waiting for him. Why else would she be in the hall instead of the room with her son?

“Do you remember what I told you about when we were in the Black Lion?” Krolia asked. 

Shiro had to think for a moment but then he suddenly knew the only thing it could be about. The quantum abyss. “Yes,” He said. 

“I don’t think this is the path you want to take. It won’t make either of you happy,” Krolia said. 

Shiro looked back toward the door that led to Keith’s room and swallowed hard. The nighttime visits weren’t only because his days were so busy. When the Earth was under attack, Atlas and him could do nothing to help. Keith and the other paladins hadn’t hesitated to sacrifice themselves. And he had just watched it happen. He knew if the situations were reversed Keith would have found a way to protect Shiro. Had found a way to protect him from Sendak in the middle of the battle. But Shiro had been useless.

“Ha-Has he asked about me?” Shiro asked.

“Of course. I told him you come by every day when he’s been sleeping but he misses you. I think he’s tried to stay up late a few times to see you but he still doesn’t have the energy to be that sneaky yet.” 

“How did you know?” Shiro asked. 

Krolia just stared at Shiro until he flinched and nodded in understanding. Krolia was a member of the Blades of Marmora, of course she’d be able to know who was visiting her son. 

“I’ll come visit properly tomorrow.” That was the only answer he knew Krolia would accept. At least if he wanted to avoid whatever future Krolia was sure would make both him and Keith miserable. He didn’t know how branching futures worked or how Krolia was so sure that this moment would lead to one they didn’t want but he did know that Krolia cared deeply for her son. She wouldn’t do anything to harm him and neither would Shiro. On that, they were a united front and Shiro knew he could trust her. 

“Good. Come just after lunch. He normally has more energy then.” 

Shiro recognized an order when he heard one. “Of course.” He’d have to do some more work tonight before he went to sleep and rearrange some things in the morning but he’d make his schedule work so he could visit Keith. He was about to turn around when he hesitated and then reached out to Krolia and clasped her lightly on her shoulder. “Thanks for watching out for us,” He said. 

“You’re family, Shiro. It’s what we do,” Krolia said as if it was that simple. 

And maybe it was. She’d had two years of stories from Keith about his life and Shiro knew that he was an important part of it when Keith was at the Garrison and when they’d gone to space. She probably knew more about him than he wanted her to and he had no doubt that between flashes of the past from the abyss and Keith’s stories she knew all of the semi-questionable adventures he’d taken Keith on. Though considering who she was, maybe she didn’t think teaching her teenage son to drive off a cliff was so bad. 

Nothing could have made her think too unkindly since she considered Shiro family and while it would take him a bit more time to fully return the sentiment, he liked the potential behind it. “Thank you,” He said meaning it. 

“Get some rest, Shiro. If you visit looking like this, Keith’s just going to worry. He doesn’t like to show it but he cares a lot about people,” Krolia said. 

“True. I remember one time I caught a cold and he practically kidnapped Adam to bring him to the grocery store and help him cook soup and other things for me.” Shiro smiled at the memory and then sighed. It was one of the rare times that the two had been totally in sync with each other and not teasing and prodding every few minutes. A truly happy memory despite how miserable he’d felt and how much food they’d tried to feed him. Still, it was strange to think of Adam knowing he wasn’t around anymore… knowing that so many of their old classmates and colleagues were just gone. 

“It gets better in time,” Krolia said softly. 

Shiro wasn’t sure if she knew who Adam was and what happened or if she just recognized grief and mourning but he gave a small nod. There was no doubt that being a Blade meant being familiar with death and grief. So if Krolia said it got better, Shiro would believe it. 

“Any tips?” There had been plenty of death in their fight against the Galra but it had never been here on Earth against people they saw every day and had known for years. It had stung to lose Ulaz but it was nothing to what he felt staring at that wall of names. 

“Say goodbye, remember the good times, and take it one day at a time,” Krolia said. 

It was the typical advice but it didn’t hurt to hear again. “I’ll try.” He had been surprised at how much it had hurt finding out about everyone considering they had all thought him dead and it had been years since he’d spoken with them. But perhaps seeing all of their names just brought everything home. He hadn’ known a moment’s rest since he encountered the Galra on the Kerberos mission and while his memories of that time still weren’t perfect it still took a toll on him. 

“Sleep will help.” 

That was such a motherly response that all Shiro could do was nod and promise he’d try to get some. He finally turned and left Krolia and the ever present call of Keith’s room to figure out his schedule and get some rest. 

-0-0-0-0-0-

Shiro took a moment to straighten out his uniform and run fingers through his hair, trying to make sure he looked okay. He ignored the giggling from the nurses at the main desk. He hoped they were amused by something else and not him. He looked at the flowers in his hand and wondered if they were too much. Or maybe they weren’t enough. Keith had saved him so many times that flowers just didn’t seem to express how thankful he was. But they were the traditional gift for people recovering in the hospital and for dates. Not that this was a date. A hospital was a horrible spot for a first date.

Shiro realized he was going to start panicking about the flowers and seeing Keith and for the man who took on the empire, that was just ridiculous. He steeled his nerves and gave Keith’s door a light knock before opening it. 

He was pretty sure that Krolia would be around but he hadn’t expected Kolivan to be there, casually sat at the window and turning his sharp gaze on Shiro. 

“Shiro,” Kolivan said in greeting. 

“Kolivan. Krolia… Keith,” Shiro said, greeting everyone. Though Keith’s name almost got stuck in his throat as he turned to him on the bed. His bed was inclined so he was sitting and leaning back against pillows. Shiro noted the leftovers of his lunch on a rolling table that was pushed off to the side but his main focus was on Keith and seeing his eyes open and locked on his for the first time in weeks. 

“Good timing, Shiro. Kolivan and I were just thinking it was time for us to get our own lunch,” Krolia said. 

It was undoubtedly a lie but Kolivan didn’t miss a beat and instead nodded and stood. “Take care, Keith. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Kolivan rested a heavy hand on Keith’s leg for a moment before giving it a pat and heading to the door. 

“Kosmo, we’ll get you lunch, too,” Krolia said. The wolf immediately flashed from Keith’s bed to the door next to Kolivan, clearly eager for food. 

“I’ll see you later, Keith.” Krolia gave Keith’s shoulder a squeeze and ruffled his hair before heading to the door. When she got to Shiro, she gave him a hard stare and then a small nod. 

Clearly he still had family approval but he also had only one chance to not screw this up. No pressure. 

“Enjoy your lunch,” Keith called from the bed before the others left, leaving Shiro and him alone in the room. 

“Uhh…” Shiro said, feeling a bit at a loss. 

“Do you think they’re dating?” Keith asked.

Shiro was thrown off balance. That wasn’t what he had been expecting at all. "Who?"

Keith huffed and gestured to the door. "Kolivan and my mom. He's always coming to visit and whenever I wake up he's talking quietly with her," Keith said.

"I uhh... don't think I've spent enough time with them to know. But they did work together in space before getting back to Earth. It's possible... Does it bother you?" Shiro asked. Keith never had a mother growing up and it was possible that he saw Kolivan as taking away his mother's time just when he found her.

"No. Why would it?" Keith asked as if just the thought of being bothered by someone dating his mom was completely foreign.

"A lot of people don't like it when their parents date someone," Shiro said.

"A lot of people are stupid. Why wouldn't I want my mom to be happy? And Kolivan is a good guy. Even if he's strict."

Keith had a point but not everyone shared his straight forward way of seeing the world. "If you asked them, I'm sure they'd tell you." Kolivan and Krolia may be experts at keeping secrets but Shiro doubted they had need to keep that one from Keith if it was true. The only reason Shiro could imagine why they hadn't told Keith yet was because they either weren't dating or they just wanted to focus on Keith and his recovery right now.

"Maybe I'll do that," Keith said.

"Let me know how it goes," Shiro said. 

"So that means you'll come visit again? I know you've been busy with everything and I get you don't have a lot of time to use on social calls but maybe we can call it a work meeting or you can eat your lunch here," Keith said. He sounded cautious and hopeful, a lot like he had when he first started at the Garrison and didn't really believe Shiro was actually going to stick around and fight for him.

Shiro hated that. Had being too cowardly to properly visit so quickly undone years of work building up trust between them? He refused to believe that and was determined to wipe away every doubt from Keith’s mind. 

"Lunch could work. How much longer are they keeping you for?" He asked. Mostly so he wouldn't let slip that most days he forgot to eat lunch or ate it at his desk while reviewing notes for his next meeting. Keith didn't need to worry about him while he was recovering.

"Maybe another week. The head injury was apparently pretty serious and they know I'll push myself if they let me out..." Keith grumbled the last part.

Shiro thought it was wise of the doctors to keep Keith at the hospital so he could recover properly. He knew exactly what Keith would get up to the second he was released whether he was told to take it easy or not. In some ways, he and Keith were very similar.

"I can't say I disagree with them," Shiro said.

"Like you'd be any better."

"I didn't say that. But I'm not the one with the head injury."

"Uh-huh. And just how long did you take off to recover from your fight with Sendak?"

Shiro had taken about a whole two hours off and that was how long it took him to escape the medbay after the battle was over. And it was not something he was going to admit to Keith when he wanted him to focus on healing.

He fidgeted slightly and the tissue paper around the flowers in his hand crinkled reminding him he hadn't given Keith his gift yet.

"I brought you flowers," Shiro said instead. He held out the bouquet and moved closer to the bed to give it to Keith.

"Oh. Thank you. You didn’t have to get me anything." Keith accepted them and looked at them before taking a deep sniff of them and smiling.

Shiro considered it a win. “I wanted to.”

"I'm going to have to ask the staff for a vase," Keith said. He took one more deep breath of the flowers before setting them on the table beside his bed.

“I’ll ask for one on my way out,” Shiro said. 

“Thanks. And you know you can sit, right?” Keith moved over on the bed making more room so Shiro could sit on it. 

“Oh, right,” Shiro said. He sat down carefully on the edge of the bed and looked at Keith who was looking right back at him. 

Shiro didn’t understand why this was so awkward. He’d always felt comfortable around Keith and Keith never judged him no matter what he told him.

“You look tired. Is everything okay?” Keith asked. 

“Just busy. A lot has been going on and somehow they think I can fix most of it.” Shiro’s first love was and always would be flying but he also enjoyed the chance to save and defend the universe and leading people was part of that. But it was still a lot. 

“I’m sure you’ll figure it out soon. You’re a natural leader, Shiro. And with all of us getting out of the hospital in the next couple of weeks, we can help,” Keith said. 

“Thanks,” Shiro said. 

Silence settled around them again, still not the peaceful and comfortable type he was used to. 

How did Keith look so beautiful in bandages and hospital clothes? There had to be a law about that. 

“Have you fi-”

“I wanted to ta-” 

They both started at the same time and abruptly cut off. After a second they tried again and once more stopped. 

“After you,” Shiro said. 

“Nah, it wasn’t anything important. What did you want to say?” Keith asked. 

Shiro swallowed. He could do this. “I wanted to talk to you about… uh… us?” 

“You don’t sound too sure about that.” 

Keith’s lips quirked in a bit of a smile and Shiro had to clear his throat before he could form words. He couldn’t tell him that he was sure but that Keith was so beautiful and so important to him that he was finding it hard to be half as smooth as he wanted. Or maybe he could tell him that? 

“I’m just a little nervous,” He admitted instead. 

“The mighty captain of the Atlas is nervous? The man who threw himself into space in the middle of a battle? The same man who gave a speech in front of thousands and had it broadcast around the world and universe? I don’t believe it.” Keith snorted slightly as if Shiro was telling a great joke. 

Keith’s confidence in him had always been gratifying but compared to this, flinging himself across a battlefield in space to get to Sendak’s ship had been easy. 

Krolia was so sure that Keith and him had the happiest future when they were together but what if Keith disagreed? 

There was really only one way to find out and he knew he’d regret it forever if he didn’t take this chance. 

“Well, there’s a lot riding on this,” Shiro said. 

“More than the safety of everyone on Earth?” Keith asked. 

“Not everything has to be compared to an intergalactic battle,” Shiro said. Mostly because it made his worries seem trivial but to him they seemed so much more important than the fate of the universe.

Is this how Keith felt when they had fought and Keith wouldn’t let him go despite how important his own survival was to Voltron and the universe? 

“After everything we’ve been through, it’s hard to see how other things can be hard.” Keith gave a shrug as if to say sorry even if he really wasn’t. 

“Fine. I guess I’ll just get to it.” 

He took a breath. 

Keith waited silently, eyes never leaving Shiro’s. 

“I…” 

A part of Shiro wished Keith would say something to break up the silence or to make a joke and break the awkward mood but he stayed oddly quiet and Shiro realized Keith’s hands were fisted in his sheets. Was he that anxious about what Shiro had to say? 

He looked back up at Keith’s eyes that had never left his and saw the fear and hope in them and knew he had to do this. He had to put them both out of their misery. 

“I’d like to take you out… when you’re released from the hospital…” Shiro said and then held his breath. 

“Well it’s not like I planned on staying here when they let me go. Where did you want to go?” Keith asked. 

Shiro blinked and realized that Keith wasn’t getting it. He let out a sigh and tried again. “No. Out out.” 

“Yeah. If I’m not inside I’d be out…” 

Shiro had a flashback to Lance complaining about trying to teach Keith how to do a cheer and failing so hard and suddenly felt a kindred spirit with him he’d never had before. 

“I mean, I’d like to take you out on a date. Or we can stay in if you’re still feeling tired. But I want to have a date. With you,” Shiro said. He hoped that was clear enough as he felt his lungs seize up once more in anticipation. 

“Oh… that type of out,” Keith said. 

Shiro nodded. Yes, that type of out. “So…” 

“I’m not sure I heard a question.” 

“Keith!” Shiro exclaimed as he let out his held breath. He couldn’t even tell if Keith was trolling him or just really needed to hear the words. 

“Shiro,” Keith said. 

Teasing him or not, Shiro was going to ask him and get a direct answer. 

“I like you and want to date you. Will you go on a date with me when you’re out of the hospital?” 

Keith was blushing and Shiro was more taken by his beauty than ever. He needed that yes. 

“Yes. Of course,” Keith said and even gave a nod to really make sure his answer was clear. 

Shiro felt the weight of the world lift off of him for one moment as he heard Keith’s answer and grinned at him. “Really?” He asked as he reached over to take one of Keith’s hands in his. He needed to reassure himself that this was real, that Keith was real. 

“Really. Who else would I go on a date with?” Keith asked.

“There’s plenty who would love to date the leader of Voltron,” Shiro said. Keith had to know how desirable he was. Or maybe he didn’t. He’d always been seen as the troublemaker and lone wolf and he’d miss a lot of the outpouring of love and interest in him since they’d freed Earth. 

“Maybe. But you want to date me. Not some title.”

Oh. Maybe Keith wasn’t so oblivious to people and dating after all if he could see that point so quickly. 

“Are you saying you don’t want me because I’m the Captain of the Atlas? The title comes with perks,” Shiro said teasing lightly. 

“I’m proud of you but I don’t care about that. It’s you I like Shiro. It’s always only been you,” Keith said, his cheeks turning rosy again. 

Shiro’s heart stuttered at the words and his breath caught. Always only him? He knew he had earned Keith’s trust and friendship but he hadn’t known how he had got so lucky to earn his love so thoroughly, too. 

In what universe was he so stupid to let this amazing man who loved him so deeply go? He wanted to find every version of himself who did that and shake sense into him.

“Keith,” Shiro said, at a loss of words. 

“Is that weird?” Keith asked. 

“No. Never. It’s… it’s just you’re amazing. And I-”

“You’re amazing, too, Shiro,” Keith said quickly before Shiro could say anything negative about himself. 

“Thanks.” 

“Though you’d be more amazing if you kissed me. That’s what dating people do, right?”

Keith was going to be the death of him with his mix of confidence and innocence but it would be such a good way to go. 

Shiro didn’t answer in words. He moved his free hand up to run through Keith’s hair before lightly using it to angle Keith’s head back slightly and hold in place. He didn’t need Keith jumping into this kiss without looking like he did everything and getting another concussion as they bounced their heads off each other’s. 

No. Shiro wanted this to be gentle and perfect. He leaned in and gently brushed his lips against Keith’s in a chaste kiss. When he pulled back he smiled at Keith who had his eyes closed and lips still partly puckered. It was too much to resist. Shiro ducked in for another kiss that was slightly longer and with more pressure. 

“More.” Was the gentle whisper that he felt against his lips more than heard. 

Shiro kissed Keith again, this time moving his lips slightly, patiently waiting for Keith to copy him until he was being matched move for move. It wasn’t the deepest nor dirtiest kiss Shiro had ever had but it was by far the best. He’d never felt so turned on from just a kiss and his heart felt like it could beat right out of his chest. 

When he finally pulled back, he saw Keith’s eyes looked a little dazed and there was that sweet flush to his cheeks again. Before he sat back up, Shiro gave Keith a quick and silly kiss on the nose that caused Keith to go cross-eyed for a second before laughing. 

He wanted to do so many things with Keith but a hospital room wasn’t the place for it. So it was better to break the tension between them before they got carried away. 

“Okay?” Shiro asked. 

“Perfect,” Keith said, giving him a dazzling smile that struck him like lightning. If he was ever having a bad day in the future, he would just need Keith to send that look his way and he’d be able to get through anything. 

“Good. Look forward to more on our date.” 

“Do I have to wait that long?” 

“It’s not that long,” Shiro said. And while he might not be willing to do more with Keith in a hospital room at the Garrison, it didn’t mean he wouldn’t give Keith kisses at all. 

“It’s going to feel like forever. I’m not that fragile,” Keith said. But it was hard to agree when he immediately yawned. 

It was as if he’d been unplugged and was suddenly powering down. Shiro could practically see the energy leaving him. He supposed a big lunch, an emotional conversation and kisses could do that. It took a lot of work to recover even if Keith probably felt like he was just wasting time staying in bed. 

“Just because you’re not fragile doesn’t mean you don’t need time to recover. Even the Lions need to recharge after a big battle,” Shiro said. 

“I’m sick of it here.” 

“I know. All of you are. But a few more days of good rest and food should get you released.” Shiro brushed his fingers through Keith’s hair, trying to soothe him and get him to relax back into the pillows. 

“Will you stay?” Keith asked. 

“For a little while,” Shiro said. He’d probably already been away from the Atlas too long but he was sure the universe could survive without him for a few more minutes. He doubted Keith would stay awake much longer than that. 

Keith nodded and reached over to lower his bed so it wasn’t quite as angled and still holding Shiro’s hand from before, tugged him down. 

Shiro felt bad about getting onto the bed with his boots still on but he was staying above the blankets and it couldn’t be worse than whatever Kosmo tracked in. Lying back on the bed, it took them a few tries to figure out how to slot their bodies together on the small space but once they did, Shiro let out a long sigh at just how good it felt.

Keith’s back was tucked up against his front, his flesh arm draped over him and Keith’s hand still holding his. Shiro supposed one advantage of his new Altean arm was that he didn’t have to worry about it falling asleep as Keith snuggled even further back into him. 

It would also be easier to get out of the bed once Keith fell asleep. But for now, he would enjoy being able to hold Keith close and bask in the knowledge that Keith was alive, safe, and going to go on a date with him. 

He closed his eyes, breathed in deeply, taking in Keith’s scent under the smell of generic hospital soaps, and then released it feeling the tension of his body release. 

-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Krolia had taken her time at lunch with Kolivan and even took Kosmo for a walk after. It was always amusing to see how humans reacted to both her and Kosmo. They still had a long way to go before they could fully become an open planet to the universe but she was sure with Shiro leading the way they would get there. 

When she reached Keith’s room, she listened outside of the door a minute and only when she was sure she wouldn’t walk in on something she shouldn’t, did she open it and peek inside. 

She smiled slightly at the sight before her. She was tired of seeing her son sleeping in a hospital bed but it warmed her to see Shiro still with him and sharing his bed. 

She closed the door quickly before Kosmo could sneak in past her and accidentally wake them. “I think we should leave them alone for now,” She said before Kosmo decided to teleport into the room. 

Kosmo sat down, clearly waiting to see what they were going to do next instead. Krolia knew the wolf was smart but he was also overly protective of her son and liked being near him. Considering Kosmo’s capabilities, it wasn’t something she was against. She just hoped Shiro was prepared to share a good portion of his bed with a slobbery cosmic wolf. 

Krolia was sure they’d work something out since it seemed like she’d done her job well and Keith and Shiro were back on track to find one of the happier futures she’d seen for them. She’d still keep an eye on them and help where she could but she hoped that now the first hurdle was cleared that her boys would be okay. 

“Let’s go tell Shiro’s crew that he’s indisposed and won’t make his meetings and then join Kolivan in training,” Krolia said. If anyone deserved an afternoon off to rest, it was Shiro. And if anyone thought their meeting was so important it couldn’t wait a few hours or be handled by someone else, Krolia would be happy to correct their way of thinking. 

Kosmo seemed on board with the plan and as Krolia placed her hand on his head, they zapped out of the hall and into the Atlas. 

Krolia still wasn’t sure what future they were headed toward but felt much better about it now than she did yesterday. Perhaps it was even time to stop worrying so much about her son’s future and instead start working toward her own happy ending, too. 

There were still battles ahead, but if they stayed working together as friends and family, she knew there was no obstacle they couldn’t overcome. This she believed in with or without visions of the future. 

end

**Author's Note:**

> It was fun to imagine just how much Keith and Krolia might have seen on the space whale and what they might have done with that information. And while we didn't get Keith's pov, know that he's without a doubt, just as much of a pining disaster as Shiro was.
> 
> Krolia wonders how these two oblivious/ridiculous men are also the defenders of the universe. She also doesn't know where Keith gets it from because neither she nor Keith's father were ever this bad. If they had been, Keith probably wouldn't exist. 
> 
> If you enjoyed the story, feel free to give me a kudos or leave a comment. You can also come and visit me over on twitter [@SagelySea](https://twitter.com/SagelySea)


End file.
